Archive for the 'Nelson Agholor' Tag Under 'USC' Category

Here are three things to watch for in Saturday’s USC-Arizona game (7:30 p.m., ESPN), plus a final-score prediction and game-preview links:

1. SPREAD OFFENSE

It was unknown as of this writing whether JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC’s leading receiver, would be able to play. It seemed more doubtful than probable as of midday Thursday, at which point Smith-Schuster had yet to practice or try out his special protective cast. If Smith-Schuster can’t go, it’ll be fascinating to watch how Cody Kessler fares without him. As documented earlier in the week, Kessler has leaned heavily on his leading receiver – first Nelson Agholor, then Smith-Schuster – over the past two seasons. Will Kessler still be able to function efficiently without that security blanket? Will the offense retain the balance Clay Helton desires? Not having Smith-Schuster for a game or two actually could help Kessler in the long run – forcing him to go through each play’s progression rather than lock on to one guy.

2. RONALD JONES II … OR I?

The most frequently asked question during the Cal game: Why isn’t Ronald Jones II running the ball more? Helton said afterward than Jones was battling a sore knee, an injury he apparently suffered on his first carry of the game. He carried 10 more times after that, including the first two plays of the final drive, gaining a team-high 80 yards. Jones seemed fine during practice this week. It’s time to give him at least 15 touches. Jones isn’t as polished an all-around player as veterans Justin Davis and Tre Madden; the freshman is still a liability in pass protection and needs to work on his receiving skills. But as a runner, Jones is special – too special to not lead USC in carries. It’s not a matter of if it’ll happen, but when. It just might be Saturday night at the Coliseum.

USC return specialist Adoree’ Jackson on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with his performance so far this season. Jackson seemed almost despondent, at least for him.

The versatile sophomore’s self-evaluation did not come as a surprise to interim coach Clay Helton.

“There’s something special about 2 and 9,” Helton said, referring to Jackson and leading receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, also a sophomore.

“They’re so self-driven. I remember that from the other greats that have been here. The really special ones never think that they’ve done a great job. They always want to get better and better. They never can achieve perfection. That’s the way 2 and 9 have been their whole time here.

“Those great ones, they just have an inner something to them that they want to achieve even more and more and more. Obviously he (Jackson) is helping our football team tremendously this year.”

Here are three things to watch for in tonight’s USC-Washington game (6 p.m., ESPN), plus a final-score prediction and game-preview links:

1. BIG NIGHT FOR JUJU?

USC receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster wasn’t thrilled with his performance against Arizona State. “It wasn’t my best game,” he said this week. Smith-Schuster went so far as to blame himself for not catching a pass that was thrown well behind him. He ended up with five receptions for 103 yards and two touchdowns – a strong performance by any measure. But the disappointment in Smith-Schuster’s voice got me to thinking he just might go off against Washington. Remember how Nelson Agholor caught 16 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s Thursday game against Cal? It wouldn’t surprise me if Smith-Schuster did something similar.

2. SLIM PICKINGS

As mentioned in our “Trojan R&R” preview video, I believe USC’s front seven is in store for its best game against Washington’s still-developing offensive line and freshman quarterback Jake Browning. The secondary could reap the benefits. If the game goes the way I think it will, Adoree’ Jackson could be in position for his first career interception. That he doesn’t have one yet seems like a misprint. From watching him play offense, we know Jackson has good enough hands. We also know quarterbacks don’t throw his way that often. He isn’t a risk-taker on defense, so that’s a factor too. But it’s only a matter of time before Jackson gets a pick. Tonight just might be that time.

For the second season in a row, one receiver is catching a disproportionate number of passes for USC. JuJu Smith-Schuster has 22 receptions for 434 yards through three games. The next-highest totals are nine and 98, respectively.

Last season, Nelson Agholor paced the Trojans with 104 catches for 1,313 yards. Smith-Schuster was a distant second in both categories (54-724).

Is this a bad thing? A good thing? Does it matter?

It’s not as if USC’s offense has struggled so far. Cody Kessler has 10 touchdown passes, zero interceptions and an absurd 78.7 percent completion rate that ranks second in the nation. The Trojans are averaging 48.3 points per game. Although the offense stalled over the final 2½ quarters against Stanford, it still produced 31 points, which should have been good enough to win.

Here are three things to watch for in the USC-Stanford game Saturday (5 p.m., KABC/7), plus a final-score prediction and game-preview links:

1. DEPTH DISPARITY

As noted earlier this week, USC coach Steve Sarkisian made a bold proclamation during one of his regular media scrums. “We think,” he said, “our depth is our strength.” Think about that: What once was a liability is now an asset – one that could start paying dividends tonight. The Trojans probably won’t rotate quite as much as they did in the first two games because of the caliber of the opponent and the way the Cardinal plays. But they will continue to “platoon,” and it’s unlikely Stanford’s physicality will wear them down. If anything, it could go the other way. The Cardinal is down to three proven defensive linemen who are healthy, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Look for the USC offense to exploit that by cranking up the tempo.

2. QB BATTLE

Both teams have fifth-year senior quarterbacks in Kevin Hogan and Cody Kessler. I’ve always been bullish on Hogan, but after watching him against Northwestern – and knowing how inconsistent he has been throughout his career – I can’t help but conclude the following: If the game comes down to the final moments, I’d much rather have Kessler. Say what you will about USC’s first two opponents, but you can’t deny that Kessler has played terrifically aside from a couple of overthrown deep balls. He hasn’t come close to having a pass intercepted. Kessler has something else going for him as well, as I’m about to explain …

Here are five key questions for USC entering the start of training camp Saturday night:

1. Will the defense improve in Year 2 under Justin Wilcox?

In the high-scoring world of modern college football, USC’s defense wasn’t that bad last season. The Trojans ranked in the top 20 nationally in red-zone defense and third-down defense. They also surrendered the most yards per game in school history (407.9) and ranked in the bottom 20 in first downs allowed (302) – and coughed up fourth-quarter leads against Arizona State and Utah. Spring practice brought hope of improvement as defenders looked more comfortable and played a lot faster after a full season in defensive coordinator Wilcox’s system. The prevailing sentiment is that experience and familiarity will offset the losses of key, NFL-bound veterans such as defensive end Leonard Williams and linebacker Hayes Pullard. Also, free of sanctions, USC will have more depth this season, especially in the front seven. That should enable the defense to be fresher and sharper in the fourth quarter.

2. Will the offensive line go from a liability to a strength this season?

Liability might be too strong a word; after all, the line helped USC rank in the top 25 nationally in scoring (35.8 ppg), passing yards (296.6 ypg), passing efficiency (165.4 rating) and third-down percentage (46.6). But the line unquestionably was inconsistent, including a string of poor rushing performances and an abysmal showing against UCLA (62 rushing yards, six sacks allowed). The inconsistency was understandable given that USC at times played three freshmen: Toa Lobendahn, Damien Mama and Viane Talamaivao. Now those freshmen are older, wiser, stronger and presumably better. Additionally, USC is expected to get back redshirt-junior left tackle Chad Wheeler, who missed the final five-plus games last season because of a torn ACL. Wheeler’s return would give the Trojans three tested veterans (along with senior center Max Tuerk and redshirt-junior right tackle Zach Banner) to complement the talented freshmen-turned-sophomores.

Continuing our countdown of the 15 most valuable USC football players of 2015.

Two reminders before we get to the next Trojan on the list:

1. The primary factors in determining value include projected role and production; depth at an MVP candidate’s position; the player’s overall talent and expected impact on the success of the team; and intangible traits such as leadership and toughness.

2. Incoming freshmen and transfers were not considered. Although several might emerge as extremely valuable pieces, as was the case last season, it’s impossible to predict how impactful they’ll be in Year 1. Besides, this exercise is subjective enough already.

This is the last entry of the week in our continuing countdown of the 15 most valuable USC football players of 2015. The series will resume Monday.

Two reminders before we get to the next Trojan on the list:

1. The primary factors in determining value include projected role and production; depth at an MVP candidate’s position; the player’s overall talent and expected impact on the success of the team; and intangible traits such as leadership and toughness.

2. Incoming freshmen and transfers were not considered. Although several might emerge as extremely valuable pieces, as was the case last season, it’s impossible to predict how impactful they’ll be in Year 1. Besides, this exercise is subjective enough already.

Todd McShay of Scouts Inc. projects “safety” Su’a Cravens to the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 19. That would mean back-to-back first-round Trojans for Chip Kelly, who took receiver Nelson Agholor with the 20th pick last week.

Here’s what McShay wrote about Cravens (ESPN Insider subscription required to see the entire mock draft):

McShay also has USC center Max Tuerk going to the Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll with the 32nd selection. It’s logical on several fronts, as McShay writes:

Of course, all of this should be taken with a gargantuan grain of salt – a boulder of salt, if such a thing exists. Even McShay describes the assignment as among his least favorite and concedes he hasn’t done full tape studies on any of the prospects in his initial ’16 mock.

The 2015 NFL draft is over, and it was a good one for USC. Six Trojans were selected, including two in the first round. Here’s a look at what the future holds for those players:

DE LEONARD WILLIAMS

Team: New York Jets

Round/pick: 1/6

Comment: When I listed possible destinations for Williams before the draft, I didn’t include the Jets. They already had Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson, two excellent 3-4 defensive ends. But sometimes a great talent falls in your lap, and that’s exactly what happened with Lenny and the Jets (awesome headline by the New York Post). Williams could rotate with Wilkerson and Richardson or join them in special sub packages. However new coach Todd Bowles decides to play it, the Jets’ defensive line will be a nightmare to block. Also worth noting: Although the Jets denied rumors that Wilkerson is on the trade block, he is in the final year of his contract. If they decide to part ways with him, they have his successor in Williams.

WR NELSON AGHOLOR

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Round/pick: 1/20

Comment: The Eagles have almost completely turned over their receiving corps since Chip Kelly arrived in January 2013. After each of the past two seasons, he has parted ways with his leading receiver (DeSean Jackson in ’13, Jeremy Maclin in ’14). Enter Agholor, whose six-catch, 162-yard performance as a freshman against Oregon left an indelible impression on Kelly. Kelly grew to appreciate Agholor’s talent and work ethic, and Agholor felt a connection with Kelly and his staff. With Agholor joining 2014 second-rounder Jordan Matthews – who caught 67 passes for 872 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie – the Eagles should be set at receiver for the next several years. Whether it’s Sam Bradford or someone else (Sanchez? Barkley? Tebow?) throwing them the ball, Kelly always finds a way to manufacture offense.

CB JOSH SHAW

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Round/pick: 4/21

Comment: The August incident that led to his suspension probably cost Shaw a round in the draft, maybe two. It turned out to be a boon for the Bengals, who snatched him with a late fourth-rounder. Cincinnati never has shied away from players with character questions and has had plenty of success with them (see Vontaze Burfict). Shaw played safety and cornerback in college, but the Bengals said he would start out at corner; they like his ability to play press-man coverage. Cincinnati’s cornerback depth chart is pretty stacked at the moment, including 2012 and ’14 first-round picks Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard (who played only 61 defensive snaps as a rookie). But veterans Leon Hall and Adam Jones are on the wrong side of 30 and entering the final seasons of their current contracts.

RB BUCK ALLEN

Team: Baltimore Ravens

Round/pick: 4/125

Comment: Allen couldn’t have landed in a much better situation. The Ravens return their leading rusher from a year ago, Justin Forsett, who had a career-high 1,266 yards. But it’s not as if he’s an exorbitantly expensive franchise back like Adrian Peterson or Marshawn Lynch. Forsett also is 29 years old. The No. 2 back on the depth chart is Lorenzo Taliaferro, a fourth-round pick in 2014. One of Allen’s greatest strengths is his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. Baltimore’s new offensive coordinator is Marc Trestman, who knows how to take advantage of that skill set; Matt Forte caught 102 passes in Trestman’s offense for Chicago last season. The Ravens also have one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the league.

TE RANDALL TELFER

Team: Cleveland Browns

Round/pick: 6/22

Comment: Considering his health status – Telfer couldn’t participate in postseason bowls, the scouting combine or team workouts after having surgery for a Lisfranc sprain – it was a pleasant surprise that he got drafted. Part of it had to do with the dearth of tight ends in this year’s talent pool. Another part had to do with what Telfer has to offer: high character and the ability to block in the run game. He’ll have a chance to stick in Cleveland, which lost former Trojan Jordan Cameron to free agency. But it wouldn’t surprise me if Telfer, who’s still recovering from his surgery, spent the 2015 season on injured reserve – the NFL’s equivalent of a redshirt year.

LB HAYES PULLARD

Team: Cleveland Browns

Round/pick: 7/2

Comment: I thought Pullard could have gone as many as two rounds earlier. Given his ability and willingness to play on special teams, I would expect him to make a strong bid for a roster spot despite his seventh-round status. Pullard should fit well in Cleveland’s 3-4 defense, having played in a similar scheme this past season. A meaningful role a few years down the line isn’t out of the question. One of the Browns’ starting inside linebackers, Karlos Dansby, is 33. The other, Craig Robertson, was an undrafted free agent in 2011.

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS

Four USC players reportedly had signed or are set to sign with teams as undrafted free agents: safety Gerald Bowman (Baltimore), receiver George Farmer (Dallas), linebacker J.R. Tavai (Tennessee) and offensive lineman Aundrey Walker (Miami). Farmer is the only one of the four who had eligibility remaining. Did he make a colossal mistake by leaving? As I always say, it’s a personal decision. He would have had more opportunities to enhance his résumé had he returned. He also could have gotten hurt. It wouldn’t surprise me if Farmer made the Cowboys as a fifth receiver and special-teamer. He wouldn’t be the first UDFA success story.